Good morning and happy Friday everyone! Last week we announced many of the nominees in the Australia Day Awards. Today we are sharing the details of the nominees in the sports categories. Several local athletes, teams and volunteers will be delighted to learn of their nominations in one of the four sports categories in the 2014 Australia Day Awards. The Griffith Sports Council manages the four sports categories of Junior Sportsperson of the Year, Senior Sportsperson of the Year, Team of the Year and Club Person of the Year while Griffith City Council’s Australia Day Working Party has overseen the nominations in the categories of Junior, Young and Citizen of the Year as well as Community Event. Winners of ALL categories will be announced at the Australia Day Event at Woodside Hall on Monday January 26 at the official ceremony, which begins at 9am. Renowned chef Lyndey Milan OAM will attend as Griffith’s Australia Day Ambassador, sponsored by Woolworths. The Griffith City Band will provide entertainment while the Griffith Branch of Soroptimist International will serve a morning tea to welcome Griffith’s newest citizens and award winners. For questions about Griffith’s Australia Day Awards or event on January 26, please contact Council on (02) 6962 8100. NOMINEES Junior Sportsperson of the Year - Brandon Burns (dirt track racing): Brandon had a big year on his motorbike, winning state titles in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland, as well as many Riverina races. - Nathan Richards (Aussie rules): Nathan shone with the Sherrin to represent the South West Junior Football League under 15s side before earning a NSW call-up. - Maddie Salvestro (archery): Maddie won the Victorian title for cadet girls and also represented Australia in the Trans-Tasman Challenge against New Zealand. - Sean Pianca (archery): Sean mixed it with the worlds best field archers when he represented Australia in the junior section at the world championships in Croatia. He also turned out for Australia in the Trans-Tasman Challenge. - Aiston Fidow (rugby union): The talented rugby union player represented NSW in the under 16 Combined High Schools rugby union team that prevailed at the NSW schools selection trials. - Mathew Driti (rugby union): Like Aiston, Mathew represented NSW in the under 16 Combined High Schools rugby union team. - Sara Negus (athletics/swimming): The talented all-round athlete won numerous state and national titles in athletics and swimming, competing in the athletes-with-disabilities section. - Noah Negus (athletics): Like sister Sara, Noah had success in athletics in the athletes-with-disabilities section at state and national levels. - Claire Murray (cricket): Claire starred on the cricket field to make the NSW-ACT Country under 15 girls side that competed at the national championships in Sydney. - Andria Zanotto (soccer): Andria was vice captain of the NSW Country under 13 girls side that won the national championships. - Eliza Ammendolia (soccer): Eliza captained the NSW Country team that won the national championships and was named player of the tournament. Later in the year she was selected in the Australian under 17 womens team. - Jasper Moon (motocross): Jasper earned third at both the Victorian and Australian motocross titles. Riding in events throughout NSW and Victoria, Jasper finished 2014 with 38 firsts and 46 podiums. - Richie Spencer (BMX): Richie finished first in the Australian BMX flatland video competition in the junior class and second in round two of the flatland nationals. Team of the Year - Griffith North Public School rugby union team: Griffith North Public School continued to dominate local rugby union last year. Five players were picked in the Riverina side to contest the state championships. - Griffith soccer under 13 boys: Representing Riverina, Griffith under 13 players helped their side win the NSW Country Cup. Riverina finished the tournament with three wins and a draw. - Griffith soccer under 14 boys: Like their under 13 counterparts, Griffith soccer under 14 players helped Riverina win the NSW Country Cup with four wins from four games. - Griffith under 12 basketball team: The Griffith Demons junior side won division two of the Western Junior League in 2014. - Griffith Swans Red under 11 team: The Swans went through the 2014 South West Junior Football League season without suffering a defeat before claiming the premiership. - Hanwood Public School relay team: The combination of Judd Stevenson, Jacob Witherspoon, Heath Crossingham and Oliver Bartter won silver in the boys 8-10 years section at the 2014 PSSA titles in Sydney, breaking a 30-year Riverina record in the process. - Griffith High School under 16 rugby union team: Griffith High was the top-placed under 16 public school rugby union team in the Riverina and made the state final of the Arthur Buchan Shield before suffering a narrow loss. - Griffith City over 35 soccer side: Griffith City won the Griffith District Football Association over 35 premiership to cap a dominant season that produced 13 wins, two losses and one draw. Senior Sportsperson of the Year - Shailyn Williams (rugby league): Shailyn lined up for the NSW womens indigenous rugby league side at the Festival of Indigenous Rugby League in Newcastle. - Lisa Hodder (karate): Lisa was selected to represent Australia at the Karate World Cup after impressing at the NSW Full Contact State Championships. - Nick Taprell (karate): Like Lisa, Nick was picked to compete for Australia at the Karate World Cup. - Jenni Massey (cycling): Jenni won gold in the road race at the Sydney Road Titles and bronze (criterion) and silver (road race) at the national masters championships in Ballarat. - Greg Allen (shooting): Greg fired his way into the NSW team after conquering the five-stand state titles held in Hay. - Frank Tagliapietra (shooting): Like Greg, Frank also made the NSW team that competed in Perth at the national championships. - Peter Budd (cycling): Peter won gold and bronze medals at the Victorian and NSW masters championships. He also snared bronze in the criterium at the Australian titles in Ballarat. - Joany Badenhorst (snowboarding): Joany made the Australian Paralympic team that went to the Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi. In November she won a silver medal at an IPC World Cup event in the Netherlands. - Steve McLean (karate): Steve claimed a trifecta of non-contact Kyokushin Karate Association titles in the veteran section after winning the Victorian, NSW and Australian championships. He also finished first in the full-contact heavyweight division at the Victorian titles. Club Person of the Year - Peter Budd (Griffith Cycle Club): Peter devoted countless hours to ensure the successful running of the NSW Masters Road Championships in Griffith last year. - Trevor Harrison (Griffith Swans): Trevor has long been a committed club person for the Griffith Swans. At last years Team of the Century selection he unveiled a detailed club history and has also built a website in the Swans honour. - Veronica Cudmore (Griffith Little Athletics): Veronica is a mainstay of Griffith Little Athletics and played a key role in helping secure funding to build new long and triple jump pits at West End Oval in 2014. - Robert Barker (Griffith Feral Joggers): Robert is one of the original members of the Griffith Feral Joggers and devoted many hours of his time to help run the clubs 2014 calendar of events. - Damien Marcus (junior rugby union): Damien is a tireless worker for junior rugby union and has played a big part in developing the sport in the region.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:18:36 +0000
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